Twenty: Self Confession
1480 Words
Alice had thought Justa was angry before. No, this was nothing compared to his reaction to this news.
"Mark, you're going to have to explain it a lot more than that, and Alice, stay right where you are," he snapped.
Alice glanced back down the way she'd come. She didn't hear any of the other wolves coming it should be safe for a few moments. And for once she was okay with Mark spilling the information.
"You know wolves have mates, right?"
Justa nodded.
"The mate bond is a special gift from the Goddess. If the wolves shun it they suffer pain and injury. The more grievous the shun, the more it hurts."
"It's odd you say shun. What would happen if she rejected them completely?" Justa demanded. His arms were crossed over his chest as he watched. His face a mask of deadly seriousness.
"The wolf part of her would reject her. She'd never be able to shift again or have the powers that a wolf gives her. She could have a slight connection with the elements, but not enough to ever be able to do much more than create a small breeze. It's just a step above being a human."
"But you said it could kill. How?" Justa pressured.
"That's because once a wolf has rejected its host, the rest of the pack is honor-bound to avenge it. They would find the traitor, hold a trial, and slaughter them. The trials never turn out good for those that reject bonds. Death is always the answer from the court."
Alice looked away. She didn't want to see the disgust in Justa's eyes over what she was being forced to do. Then again she could sacrifice herself, but what would that do to the pack?
"Is that where you're going and why you won't be back?" Justa questioned. "You're going to go cement this mate thing?"
Alice didn't hide it, she nodded. "I don't have a choice. My wolf won't calm down."
"Then it's even less of a reason for me to be here. Because here's the thing, if I stay here with you, I'll end up f*****g you again."
Mark turned back to his cooking as his eyes focused on the stove.
"My wolf wouldn't allow it," Alice replied with a shake of her head. She bit back the excitement that coursed through her at his words.
How could she be so on fire for this human when she had a mate? A mate that she would mate with far too soon.
"I'll leave with Mark while you're gone. Nothing you say will sway me from this. In return, Mark can visit me and I will teach him the ways for you to hide as humans if the time comes."
"What about cooking?" Mark questioned as he glanced over.
"And cooking," Justa replied with a shake of his head but a small smile.
No! She couldn't just let him walk out of her life like that! "But-"
"No matter what you say or do, I won't be convinced otherwise. I told you what would happen if I stayed."
He paused as his eyes met hers. "And I won't be the one responsible for killing you, Alice. This is what's best for you and your people. I hope you have a good life."
Alice wanted to scream at him. She wanted to take all that food and throw it at his face, but instead, she did nothing. She closed her eyes as she willed strength into her soul.
Why was this painful? She'd known this human a mere couple of days! And yet, it was like losing a part of her to learn he was going away.
"I'll make sure he gets there safely, Alpha," Mark let her know.
Alice sighed. Reality was crashing into her. There really was no choice. It wasn't love so why should she die over it? Her wolf growled deep inside as she imagined other scenarios. "I understand. Thank you, Mark."
Justa still watched her every movement. His eyes were so dark they were almost black. The storms from before were nothing compared to how he gazed at her now. "Goodbye, Alice."
Alice wanted to say so much but nothing she could say would change any of this. If she defied the Goddess, she'd suffer. "Goodbye, Justa," she replied instead as she walked away from him.
She was in her tunnels before the tears pricked her eyes.
Huh? Why was she crying?
She dashed the evil things away and shook herself. She shifted back into her wolf form and glanced back to the entrance of her house. The next time she saw it Justa would be gone, and she would be Harris's mate in all aspects of the word.
She cringed at the thought but walked away. It would give Justa and Mark the perfect time to slip out of the pack and into safety.
Funny, that was more important to her than anything else. Knowing that Justa was safe and away from the other wolves.
"You made it, I was about to go find you." Harris crouched down in front of her with his tail wagging again.
"I told you to wait for me," she snapped at him. It didn't make his tail stop wagging once.
"I was worried that pet of yours might have done something," Harris replied with a shrug. "Some of the others in your pack were telling me what the group of humans he came from did to our forest brother. I'm surprised you found it in your heart to forgive something like that."
"I never said I forgave any of that," Alice snarled as she snapped at him. "My pet tried to stop the others, that's why I saved his life. He had nothing to do with the rest."
"I see," Harris nodded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you angry. Come on, let's go find a nice cave to enjoy each other's company. The Moon Goddess will bless our union for sure."
Alice nodded. They wouldn't have been chosen to be mates if there wasn't a reason for it. She'd just get through this no matter what it took. She'd forget Justa and the one passion-filled time that she got to spend with him. It was all for the best. "Lead the way," she encouraged.
Harris grinned and licked her cheek again before bounding away. Alice followed with her head hanging. With each step she took she was being pulled farther away from Justa. She followed Harris to a large dark cave. Guarding it was a ring of his own wolves that bowed as soon as they saw her.
"An audience?" she asked with a sigh. Her anger was muffled by a cloud of sadness that she couldn't break through. Every step away shuttered her heart. Was this wolf serious?
"Guards," Harris replied as he brushed his head with hers. "My most trusted. They'll keep us safe and keep unwelcome intruders away. I admit when I heard about the humans around here I increased my guards. I don't trust those creatures." He paused and pressed his snout to hers. "You shouldn't either."
"I don't trust humans," Alice growled at him. If his guard wasn't around she'd tear into him and teach him a lesson, the other wolves be damned. "My pet is different."
Harris didn't speak again until they were deep inside the cave. The darkness had swallowed them by this point. "I wanted to ask you a question about your pet, love."
Alice tensed as she prepared herself. If she needed to fight, she'd do so. Nothing this man could do would make her back down. If he dared threaten Justa there would be no mercy. She'd kill him.
Wait, if she did that she'd be killing herself too. And yet, and yet it's exactly what she would do.
No.
This couldn't make sense. This had to be a mistake.
"Alice?" Harris bumped his head against hers his golden eyes searching.
"What?" she said with another growl.
"I just want to know if the rumors are true. And if they are, I want to take care of it."
"What rumors?" Alice pressed. Her pack needed thinning. Why did they undermine her at every turn? She had been too lenient with them.
"That pet of yours, were you really having s****l relations with him in your other form?"
That was less a rumor than the truth. "They're true. I was."
Harris stepped closer to her, his eyes were dark. "Then I want to wash off every scent he's left on you." He shifted before her and smiled as he stood before her inspection.
"And we'll even do it in that fashion. It's the one good thing these forms have going for it. I'll make you forget every second with that thing."
Alice took a step back. She didn't want that. She didn't want this man touching her at all. It didn't matter that they were mates. It didn't matter what she would suffer for her decisions.
It couldn't be true, but there was only one explanation for her on why she couldn't just put Justa out of her mind or forget about him.
She loved him.
- Writer
